Kewhi wild plant in Kohima:
The name of Kohima, is supposed to be after wildflower Kewhi or Kewhira. Could not find its botanical name even in Wikipedia. Could it be the Rhododendron arboreum or something else?
Strange but true, although several websites (including Wikipedia) associate the name Kohima with wild flower Kewhi, none gives its photograph or botanical name,
Rhododendron arboreum is called Nithu in the Angami language of Nagaland, as per ENVIS Nagaland.
The govt website of Kohima says:
“The name Kohima derives its name from “KEWHIRA” which is the name of the village where Kohima town is located. Kohima village , also called ‘Bara Basti’ is the second largest village in Asia and forms the North-Eastern part of Kohima Urban area today.”
The flowers connection may just be a modern folklore. Although I have many resources with names of plants in Naga tribes, never came across Kewhi. Websites just copy paste from each other.
Let us hope we come to some conclusive consensus. My guess was based on Rhododendron arboreum being State flower of Nagaland of which Kohima is capital. But we have to find solid evidence.
Another lead I got from this website which writes something different from others:
“The capital city of Nagaland, situated at an altitude of 4738 feet above mean sea level is encompassed by hills providing a majestic beauty to the city. The name ‘Kohima’ has been derived from Tenyidie dialect ‘Kewheimia’ meaning “people living in the hills”. Kohima received its present name from the British rulers who had set up colonial units devastated during the Second World War. Kohima city is inhabited by the Angami, Rengma, Kuki and Zeliang Naga tribes. It is a beautiful hill station of North-East India beckoning the tourists to its religious, monumental and village attractions.”
Another totally different explanation
https://morungexpress.com/clarification-founder-kewhira-kohima-village
